November 27, 2023 Case study: Quinbrook's Low Carbon Power Fund Journey  

Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners is a leading investment manager that specialises in renewable energy infrastructure across the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States. Since Quinbrook’s founding in 2015 by David Scaysbrook and Rory Quinlan, the company has quickly emerged as a trailblazer in the clean energy investments landscape so far investing over 2.5 billion USD across more than 200 clean energy projects. 

At a time when interest in sustainable investments is on the rise globally, Quinbrook has been able to fill a major gap in the fund management ecosystem. Facilitating an energy transition through ESG-driven investment management, the company’s portfolio consists of multiple high-value projects in solar power, energy storage, and grid services.  

In 2019, Quinbrook hit a significant milestone when it successfully closed its Low Carbon Power Fund. The fund focused on ‘new build’ energy sectors and raised a total of over USD 1.6B in primary and co-investments, its largest funding round to date, adhering to stringent investment parameters to maintain the integrity of its ESG credentials.   

Forging a relationship with ESG champions  

Oak Group has shared a longstanding partnership with Quinbrook’s founders dating back to 2006 when we engaged with David for Camco, as well as Capital Dynamics in 2013. 

Quinbrook, supported by Oak Group as its fund administrator, has built a portfolio of ESG assets that champions their mutual core sustainability initiatives. Quinbrook is now one of the cornerstone clients in Oak’s fund administration domain and together we’ve worked to establish many meaningful contributions to the clean energy landscape.  

Oak’s solutions enhance Quinbrook’s clean energy investments 

Oak Group provides an array of corporate administration services for clients operating in the clean energy space. Strategically positioned across jurisdictions such as Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, and Mauritius, we applied our in-depth knowledge of the ESG regulatory environment to assist Quinbrook in delivering its investment strategy. This included compliance, accounting, and governance support. 

Experts in governance and board support 

Oak has been operating in Jersey since 2004, and the team are well-established regional experts in governance and board support. This positioning meant that our Jersey-based team could serve as administrators and offer crucial insights to Quinbrook about regulatory compliance and the nuances of Jersey governance that sophisticated investors look for.  

Quinbrook was able to maximize the fund’s potential and target institutional investors by leveraging the Jersey Eligible Investor Fund regime. From the outset, Oak provided consultations that helped Quinbrook achieve each milestone. Alongside Carey Olsen, who provided legal counsel to Quinbrook throughout the project, Oak helped Quinbrook solidify the operational assurances, and build a level of confidence that institutional investors were seeking.  

Oak’s ability to support Quinbrook was made possible by our diligent history of working with ambitious and innovative clients. Having established connections throughout Jersey, and jurisdictions further afield, we’ve been able to successfully provide crucial fund administration services for numerous high value structures.

Oak’s dedication to sustainable fund administration  

Working with clients such as Quinbrook not only showcases our dedication to ESG initiatives across all our client projects but also aligns with Oak's wider sustainability commitment, beginning in 2023 with our purpose-led strategy. It’s a sentiment that runs deep within our fund administration commitments as well as internal protocols.   

The parameters of our purpose-led strategy push for a cultural, operational, and commercial transformation within the next two years, embedding sustainability across client-facing and internal processes. This includes a net-zero road map, investment into smarter technologies, and sustainability in leadership initiatives. This commitment not only made our work with Quinbrook more rewarding but certainly more effective. 

An ongoing partnership and commitment to future sustainable initiatives  

In a testament to its far-reaching contributions to the ESG investment landscape, Quinbrook has firmly established itself as a leader in the clean energy field. To this day, Oak provides ongoing regulatory and corporate governance services to support Quinbrook in wider investment projects as part of a commitment to achieving a low-carbon future.  

“We are pleased to have partnered with Oak for several years now and have found them to be a responsive, flexible, professional, and efficient provider of administration services. The team is firmly aligned with our values, allowing Quinbrook to focus on our strategy of targeting opportunities arising from the Net Zero transition. We can do this whilst pursuing positive climate, environmental, social, and governance goals” said Quinbrook’s founder, David Scaysbrook

Two years after closing its successful round, Quinbrook was also awarded ESG Investment Fund of the Year by ESG Investing and we are proud to support Quinbrook through such meaningful initiatives. 

James Tracey, Head of Sustainability at Oak, added: “We are delighted to have another client that shares our commitment to sustainability and one that is developing solutions to reduce our impact on the planet and move to a circular economy.” 

As we evaluate the trajectory of sustainable investments within Jersey and beyond, we find ourselves at an exciting moment. Quinbrook’s Low Carbon Power Fund attests to the profitability of low-carbon investments and their potential to accelerate the region's shift towards a broader low-carbon economy.  

Fund administrators, like Oak Group, will play a big role in driving future sustainability projects. As demonstrated in our partnership with Quinbrook, the expertise, resources, and networks that administrators can provide has the power to shape projects and address pressing environmental and social challenges.